Wolverine Annual Vol 2 1996
| StoryTitle1 = The Last Ronin | Writer1_1 = Jeph Loeb | Writer1_2 = Ralph Macchio | Penciler1_1 = Ed McGuinness | Inker1_1 = Nathan Massengill | Inker1_2 = Norman Lee | Colourist1_1 = Gloria Vasquez | Colourist1_2 = Malibu Color | Letterer1_1 = Richard Starkings | Letterer1_2 = Comicraft | Editor1_1 = Mark Powers | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * * * Adversaries: * Clan Yashida * * Onslaught * * General Hirito * * Dr. Earl Cowan * Magneto (Erik Lehnsherr) * ninjas * Cyberneticist Tsu Fwon * Sentinels Other Characters: * Mariko Yashida * X-Men ** Charles Xavier * Operation: Zero Tolerance * Dr. Yuriko Takiguchi * Time-lost dinosaur * Grandson Robert * Avengers * S.H.I.E.L.D. * Heather McNeil-Hudson * James Hudson Locations: * ** Fujikawa Electronics ** *** Major military installation * ** Manhattan * Stark International * Canada Items: * Yashida Blade * Inhibitor collar Vehicles: * Bus | StoryTitle2 = The Golden Temple | Writer2_1 = Joe Kelly | Penciler2_1 = Tommy Lee Edwards | Inker2_1 = Richard Case | Colourist2_1 = Paul Becton | Letterer2_1 = John Workman | Editor2_1 = Mark Powers | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * * Mr. Kuan * Ms. Kuan * Adversaries: * Robbers Other Characters: * Amiko's mother Locations: * ** *** Downtown **** Kuan's apartment Items: * Amiko's locket * Knife Vehicles: * Bullet train | Synopsis1 = Wolverine has returned to Japan to pay his respects to his dead lover Mariko Yashida. His respects are interrupted by her half brother Keniuchio Harada, also known as the Silver Samurai. Wolverine is not impressed with the interruption and is about to attack. Although Keniuchio is willing to defend himself, he tells Logan that he is not here to fight and that he would not desecrate the ground where his late step-sister rests with a battle. Wolverine is still furious about his past dealings with the Samurai, however Keniuchio convinces Wolverine to stand down by asking him to take up Professor Xavier's stance of turning the other cheek and striving for peace. He also expresses his sympathies over the casualties that were amassed during the Onslaught incident . He asks Wolverine if he knows what the Japanese government has done with Sunfire, Wolverine does not. Elsewhere, in Japan the anti-mutant crusader known as Bastion meets with the Japanese government to explain his Operation: Zero Tolerance that he is initiating in the United States. He tries to sell them on adopting a similar program in Japan, showing them the damage done to New York City during the Onslaught incident trying to appeal to the fact that Japan has been no stranger to mass destruction on their shores. However, the Japanese officials -- particularly General Hirito are uninterested in listening to Bastion further, explaining to him that they have their own methods of dealing with super-powered menaces and their people will not be manipulated from the west. When Bastion tries to explain that there are no "our people" just humans and mutants, however Hirito stresses that they still are well prepared. Bastion surprises him by explaining his intelligence is aware of their contingency plan: The Red Ronin robot, a robot that has in previous occasions terrorized Japan. While at Fujikawa Electronics Firm, scientists are surprised to hear from Tsu Fwon -- the Chinese scientist who has been working on upgrading and restoring the Red Ronin -- that the project is being handed over to the government after the time it was usurped by Robert Takiguchi and it battled the Avengers . Overhearing all the upgrade and changes done to the Red Ronan with a spy device prompts Yukio to realize that someone would gladly pay any price to get a hold of the robot and that she is going to see about getting her own cut. As she bounds away she is almost spotted by Tsu Fwon who secretly plotting to use the Red Ronin to increase his own power base. At that time at a military instillation in Tokyo, the Silver Samurai has led Wolverine to the site after explaining that Sunfire has been incarcerated here ever since his powers went out of control. Inside, Sunfire is locked in a room that dampens his power, he recalls back to the electromagnetic pulse created by Magneto that was the root caused of his powers flaring out of control and about how his government did not care as to why, that they just simply locked him up. Wolverine and the Samurai soon break their way into Sunfire's cell, taking out any security that is in their way. As he is smashing Sunfire's inhibitor collar, Logan explains that he is returning the favor from the time that Sunfire helped him spring out of incarceration . Sunfire wonders why he is being let free when he's thought to be a threat for others, and Wolverine quips that it wouldn't be the first time. When Shiro sees that his half-cousin the Silver Samurai is one of the one who freed him, he is about to attack, until Logan talks him out of it. Seeing the display of his powers, Logan notices that Sunfire has changed and not for the better, but recounts that since the Adamantium was pulled out of his body neither has he. With Sunfire free, the three mutants make their escape. When they are in safety, the Silver Samurai explains that he reason why he has had Sunfire broken out of jail is because the Japanese government intends to reactivate the Red Ronin and use it as a weapon against mutants. When Wolverine questions the Samurai's motives, Keniuchio explains that he is a mutant and that is reason enough to get involved and try to stop the robot. He also explains that through his underworld channels that the Hand intends to attempt to steal the robot and use it for their own ends this very night. Both Sunfire and Wolverine agree to help the Samurai prevent that from happening. Later at the Fujikawa Installation, Wolverine is stalking the area when he runs into Yukio. Reunited with his old partner in crime, Wolverine wants to know why she is skulking about. She tells him that just telling isn't her style and runs off. Wolverine chases after her, knowing she is up to something and wonders why he left her in charge with Amiko last time he was in Japan . Yukio however leads Logan to where the Hand ninjas are descending onto the Fujikawa roof. Wolverine gets a drop on them as they break into the facility and try to take the Red Ronin for themselves. As Wolverine and Yukio fight the ninjas off the giant robot, they are surprised when it is suddenly activated from within. As the robot begins to move out of it's holding cradle, inside Tsu Fwon pilots the machine, urged on by General Hirito in the hopes that the activation of the robot cements Japan's stance on policing it's own super powered beings. As the robot smashes out of the Fujikawa building, Logan and Yukio struggle to maintain a hold on the massive robot as it moves about. As Wolverine almost slips off he is rescued by Sunfire who swoops in to grab him from a fatal fall. Sunfire melts a hole through the robot while he drops Logan off near the head. The Ronin then launches one of it's rocket propelled fists, grabbing Sunfire and threatening to crush him. While this is happening, Wolverine enters into the robot through one of it's hatches and enters into the robot. There he slips past it's security system and begins gutting it's central "heart", causing it's rampage through Tokyo to end. After pulling Yukio free, Logan sees trouble with Sunfire as he uses his powers to free himself of the rocket arm that still has hold of him. In doing so, he unleashes his powers to their full fury and panics when he begins to lose control. Logan jumps by his side and tells forces Shiro to control his powers or risk incinerating his friend. Sunfire manages to succeed, but passes out in the process. Logan realizes that the government is still going to hound Shiro thinking his powers are uncontrollable. The following day, the Silver Samurai prays to the Yashida Blade for strength and guidance, Wolverine takes Shiro on the first flight out of Japan for Canada to see if his friend James Hudson can help him, while General Hirito eliminates Tsu Fwon for his failure. | Synopsis2 = Wolverine's young charge Amiko has ran away from the temporary care givers that Yukio turns the girl over to when she is on missions. With the girl missing, they all believe that her fantasies about the "Golden Samurai" who saved her likely are the root cause of her running away from home. Yukio promises that she will do whatever she can to bring Amiko back home. Amiko, is miles away searching for a golden temple that her mother brought her to before she died . She awakens from a night of sleep to find what appears to be a thief going through her things. She catches him and defends herself sending the thief sprawling. She explains to him that she is trying to find the golden temple, for which he laughs at her. However, when he notices that she has a gold locket around her neck, promises to show her the way in exchange for the locket. Amiko agrees, however refuses to give it to him until after he has shown her the way. When the thief tries to get her story, she refuses to tell him anything. When walking down a railroad track, they hear a coming train and while Amiko manages to get out of it's path, the man gets his foot caught. Amiko runs back and saves the grizzly voiced thief before he can be struck down by the train. When they set up camp for the night, Amiko notices that things have changed along the way in the years since she last came to the palace and doesn't like it. When the thief explains to her that change is a part of life, the girl is fed up and tosses him the locket telling him she doesn't want it anymore. The thief opens it up and finds that there is a picture of Amiko with her late mother inside. He tells her that she will have to face up to the hurt of losing her mother some day. Their tender moment is interrupted when they are surrounded by thieves who intend to rob them both. When Amiko stands up to defend themselves, she thinks she had scared them off, unaware that the thief stood up behind her and extracted three bone claws from one of his hands. The next day, Amiko is brought to the "golden palace" which to her surprise is nothing more than an old ruin. She is upset because she had hope to find the "good samurai" and is upset. However, when she turns she finds that the thief has doffed his disguise and it is Logan himself the whole time. He explains to her that life is full of change, sometimes they are not for the best. She tells her that she must remain noble and always remember her mother, keep her memory alive. He hands her back her locket and he comforts her telling her that the pain in her life should mean she cannot grow as a person and learn who she is. Amiko learns her lesson and the two decide to go back home. | Solicit = Someone's stolen Japan's most powerful weapon: the mighty Red Ronin! Now Wolverine, Yukio and Sunfire must unite to prevent the total destruction of the Far East! | Notes = | Trivia = | Recommended = Avengers Vol 1 198 Avengers Vol 1 199 Wolverine Vol 2 82 | Links = }}